"The rats cause a great deal more damage than the poison," said Linda Cayot, science adviser for Galápagos Conservancy. "They have decimated 100% of tortoise hatchlings for the past 100 years."

In advance of this operation, she said, years of research has gone into lessen the impact on other species.

The rodenticide is in light blue cubes that attract rats but have been found to be of little interest to other species. Developed by Bell Laboratories in the United States, the 1cm cubes disintegrate within days. They also contain a strong anti-coagulant that accelerates the decomposition of rats that eat them.

Hawks that might eat the dead rats have been temporarily relocated from the island. Even though the risk to iguanas is thought small, they too have been moved ahead of the toxic drop, which will be done in a grid pattern and repeated in seven days.

"If we miss even one pregnant female, it won't succeed," said Cayot. Monitoring will take place throughout next year. If it is successful, the eradication campaign will move to the bigger Floreana island.

2. Geez.. I didn't think Ecuador was that stoopid.

4. I kind of understand taking the risk.

I see Florida doing the same thing for some of the freed wildlife that has taken over their area---which includes some of these river rats---that are actually toxic when dead. Normally this screams problem to me, at the same time...I kind of get it.

Sure we had Isaac for that, but we're going to have be a lot more aggressive.

This is a problem that has to be addressed. I understand being worried for the species that are on the island--but these were not originators and have been turning the eco-system in that area upside down.

3. good lord - sounds like a crazy idea but - hoping it works out for wild life on the island

11. Evasive Species...

...that have taken root on the island have been a blight there for years. They came on ships and over time have added stress to an already stressed eco-system. While this seems drastic, it's subtle and calculated and hopefully will restore some balance to this very delicate and vital eco-system. Its good to see strong steps being taken to try to fix the damage "civilization" brought to these and other Pacific Islands.

12. Exactly...

I saw this episode of River Monsters, called The Multilator, it is about a the cousin of the Piranha called the Pacu put into the freshwater rivers of Papua New Guinea. The government thought it would be a good idea to bring it into the habitat as an extra food source. The problem is that while it normally eats nuts--it has been having a hunger for flesh. They have been eating the other fishes in the water and have also been attacking humans. Since the food source in New the area does not meet their needs and they are overpopulating the area. It's an ecological disaster.